Restaurant and pre-prepared Thanksgiving dinner options

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Thanksgiving doesn’t mean having to spend the last Thursday of November slaving over a hot stove. It turns out there are a number of options for East Tennesseans who either want to bring a pre-made feast back to their home or enjoy the holiday by going out to eat.

"Some people don't like to cook,” said Jess Bersin, general manager of the Calhoun’s on Kingston Pike at the Pellissippi. “They have got a lot of family in and don't like to cook, so we're glad to do it."

Every Calhoun’s will be open on Thanksgiving from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. They’ll also serve a traditional holiday plate which includes smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, peas, cranberry sauce and either pumpkin pie or pumpkin cheesecake. The total cost for a family of four will be about $50.

The East Tennessee chain of restaurants isn’t alone. Many Shoney’s restaurants will also cater to families on the holiday who are looking to eat out.

"We're open on Thanksgiving so we can serve the community and have a great meal for everybody around,” said David Love, manager of the Shoney’s on Western Avenue.

The Western Avenue location’s holiday buffet will include turkey and dressing, ham, prime rib, fried chicken, mac and cheese, peas, pinto beans, corn on the cob and pie. It’ll be open from 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. and feed a family of four for under $30.

For families who want to eat at home but do less work, Kroger has a turkey meal with all the trimmings. It’ll serve a family of seven for about $40 and family of 11 for $60.

Food City has the same deal, but throws in green beans for about $39. They also offer a ham dinner and sides for $44.

Fresh Market offers a complete Thanksgiving dinner to feed seven people at a cost of $80. They also offer a complete turkey and ham dinner with all the fixings for about $130.

So whether you're going out to eat, cooking at home, or accidentally ruin your home cooked meal, there are options for you this Thanksgiving.

November 25 to December 6 – Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community Holiday Show – Unique handcrafted gifts made by members of Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community are offered as they host their annual show at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. For more information, visit www.gatlinburgcrafts.com or call (800) 568-4748.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.